Valeria Gordeeva, 2nd year of OYW (NarFU).
1) You have graduated from the second year of OYW (Organization of Youth Work). Tell us about your impressions of this specialty. Have your expectations been fulfilled?
I have graduated from the second year in the direction of "Organization of youth work" and I can say: my expectations have been met. In addition, I began to understand and love my direction even more. During my two years of study, I learned a lot about new opportunities, places of employment, and wrote a lot of interesting work such as coursework, a social project within the framework of project practice, and research work. As part of the introductory practice in the first year, I visited various institutions where I can work after graduation, and also became part of the NarFU Volunteer Center, since volunteering is inextricably linked to my direction, thanks to which I continued my volunteer work, and finally really understood what it means to "organize youth work", what is taught in this area and who are the experts in the field of youth policy and in the sphere of youth issues research.
2) What events of the Department of Social Work and Social Security (scientific conferences, projects, etc.) do you remember the most?
During the two years of study in their field, many activities of the Department of Social Work and Social Security have been implemented. As for me, the most memorable of them were two events. First, writing a project within the framework of the project practice that we had in the 2nd year. We developed and presented a social project for our department in small groups. With my classmate I managed to develop the project "Bridge – an event that unites students", which is aimed at uniting students of the department, strengthening and creating connections between students as well as increasing motivation for academic activities and solving the problem of staff shortages in youth and social policy. Moreover, we managed to apply for a grant competition with this project.
Secondly, the "Battle of Directions". This event has been held for the second year in the framework of the discipline "Sociology of Youth" under the guidance of our teacher – Anna Fedulova. Within the framework of it, 2nd year students from the areas of "Organization of youth work" and "Social work" develop and present their group studies on the topics most interesting to them in turn, first the guys from social work to us, and then we to social work. According to the results of the event, the winners in the nominations "Best Group" and "Audience Award" are determined.
3) Tell us about your work at the "Arctic Sun" (note: Youth Volunteer Association of NArFU). What position do you hold? What are your responsibilities?
In the Youth Volunteer Association of NArFU "Arctic Sun" I am the deputy head of external relations. My responsibilities include calling organizations that we visit as part of our volunteer activities. For example, before going to the shelter, the person who organizes the trip contacts me and asks me to call or write to this shelter in order to arrange with him about our visit: about the time, about the number of people and about the possibility of our arrival.
4) How did you come to this organization?
I have been a volunteer for 4 years now. I started my career in my city, Severodvinsk, as a Volunteer for the Victory of the White Sea. I was the head of the direction "Our Victories". For several years I took part in events dedicated to May 9, for example, accompanied veterans to the stands, laid flowers at various memorials, and participated several times in the "Candle of Memory" campaign. I also participated in events dedicated to the arrival of the first All-Union convoy "Dervish". After entering the university I have become part of the NarFU Volunteer center, and recently became a recruiter for this organization.
But in our university volunteer center I was only an event volunteer, since this was the direction closest to me. A little later, I wanted to become part of another association, and my choice was the "Arctic Sun", since working there involves interacting with animals, which I love very much, as well as with children and the elderly.
5) What are the key projects implemented by the "Arctic Sun"? What are they aimed at?
"Arctic Sun" is a youth volunteer association that carries out its activities in three directions:
- Work with children in social centers and orphanages as well as in the children's regional hospital,
- Work with the elderly,
- Work with animal shelters.
We hold various concerts, performances for children, arrange tea parties and play board games with the elderly as well as go to shelters and equestrian clubs to help with cleaning the territory, walking dogs, etc.
In addition, we collect humanitarian aid for shelters, social centers and orphanages.